Falling in Love
by BatteredChild
Summary: Sarah slowly sinks into a depression after her journey through the Labyrinth. OneShot only.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Sarah or Jareth or anything else relating to the film Labyrinth.**

**Falling in Love**

It had been six months since Sarah had traversed the perils of the Goblin King's Labyrinth. Though now she knew that she had never been in any real danger, and she no longer thought of him as the cruel Goblin King, rather, she thought of him as Jareth.

Since her time in the Labyrinth Sarah had felt less and less satisfied with the life that she lived. No longer did she recite in the park, nor did she dress up in costumes. All of the life that had once filled the girl had seemingly vanished.

The day after her adventure Sarah had felt rejuvenated. In her first moments of waking Sarah had passed the journey off as nothing but a dream. The state her bedroom was in said otherwise.

Within a week she was entirely certain that every moment was real. She knew she had a vivid imagination but she could never have dreamt up an entire world in a few short hours. And so Sarah believed in the Labyrinth. She believed with all her heart in the magical realm where she was the heroine with her beloved friends by her side. She had saved the child and conquered the evil king.

By the end of a month Sarah no longer thought of the Goblin King as a villain for her to conquer. She clearly remembered the songs he had sung for her. How could she not, for the words haunted her, they invaded her dreams. It wasn't long before she realised the true meanings of his words. He had loved her. But she had been too blind, too consumed with the game to see him as anything but a villain trying to keep her from rescuing her baby brother.

With each passing day Sarah seemed to lose a little more of herself. She had become even more of a recluse than she had once been. She avoided people as much as possible, often skipping class rather than face anyone at all. When she was not at school Sarah spent her time cooped up in her room, humming softly to herself of a sad love and worlds falling down. Perhaps she would not have slipped so far, could have been pulled back to reality if her father had paid her any heed but he did not, and her stepmother certainly did not care what became of her.

Sarah still looked after her brother though when she was required. She felt closer to Toby than anyone else. After all, he had been there too. He had been held in the arms of Jareth, the Goblin King.

Four months after her journey Sarah existed in a world of her own. She rarely spoke, and ate only occasionally. She still went to school but sat through her classes day dreaming and wishing she were somewhere else. Besides that she had convinced herself that he hated her. After all, she had defeated him he must hate her. It made perfect sense.

Now, six months later Sarah looked nothing like the vibrant young girl who had eagerly run through a Labyrinth, easily making friends with all who crossed her path. No, she was no longer that girl. The Sarah that existed now was a mere slip of a girl, she was painfully thin, her once bright green eyes had faded to a pale greenish grey. Her hair had become limp and faded also, and her skin appeared ghostly pale. No, Sarah Williams was no longer the same girl she had been a mere six months previous.

She had heard her father speak of her appearance to Karen, saying that she looked to be wasting away, wondering if they should send her away somewhere. It was when she heard her father speak of sending her away that Sarah's resolve strengthened. She couldn't live this life any longer or it would surely be the death of her.

Sarah calmly sat before dressing table, and looked at her appearance in the mirror. She idly wondered if he would even recognise her now. She looked so different. These thoughts were brushed aside though by more pressing ones. Would he even listen to her? Did he want to see her? Would he answer?

She had said goodbye to Toby earlier, though she knew the child could not possibly conceive that it was goodbye forever and not just for now. She briefly considered penning a note to her father, letting him know she was gone, but safe. She quickly rejected this idea though at the echoing voices of her father and Karen speaking so freely about sending her off. No, she would not write a note for them to find. They probably wouldn't read it anyway.

Taking one last look at her gaunt features Sarah closed her eyes and brought forward the one image that kept her going now. Jareth. As she pictured him in her mind Sarah spoke softly, praying he would answer.

"I wish Jareth, the Goblin King would take me away…right now."

Sarah opened her eyes and tried to hide her disappointment as the sight of her empty room greeted eyes yet again. What had she really expected?

Slowly, Sarah moved her slight form from the stool to her bed before collapsing on the mattress. She felt the beginning of tears form behind her eyelids but stubbornly fought the urge to let them fall. Instead she buried her head in the pillows and, imaging she could hear his voice.

It took her a moment to realise that her imaginings were indeed truth. He was there, standing beside her bed and singing to her, his voice barely above a whisper. She felt him stroke her limp hair away from her face and turned to face him.

"Are you real?" she whispered brokenly.

Jareth looked upon his Sarah, she seemed to broken, so lost and alone. She was so different to the fiery girl who had beaten him at his own game. But she was still his.

"Quiet now Sarah," he said in gentler tones than she had ever heard him use. "Would you like to return with me to the Labyrinth now?"

She nodded silently, finally letting her tears fall as she took in his every movement, reveling in his soothing sound of his voice.

He lifted her gently into his arms and placed a tender kiss of her chapped lips that a sent a warmth through her body and ignited her soul once more.

A moment later all that remained of the girl and her King was a light dusting of glitter upon her bedroom floor.

xxx

_AN: Just a random thing popping into my head lol, please leave a review as I love to hear from all my readers._

_Oh and if anyone wanted to know why Sarah didn't call her friends during that time well, she just didn't lol. She wanted Jareth and only Jareth._


End file.
